Armature cleaning fluid?

Just don't spray on  paint or plastic.

Bill

When I raced 1/24 scale slot cars, we Performance plus 3 eletric motor cleaner. This also comes as plus 4 to. We would clean with the painted Lexan bodies still on the chassis.

http://www.cpcares.com/TAE/puretronics/TAE-4000.html

http://www.amainhobbies.com/pr...e-Plus-4-Motor-Spray

Bill, that is my product of choice.  I use it to clean track with no film.  Being as it is non flammable, I found another great use for it.  As we know sometimes MTH slave locomotives such as ABA or AB sets tend to have the slaved motors come alive slower than the motors in the unit with the PS-2 board.  I lay power and slave on their side with the cab off the slave unit.  Get the motors cranked up good and give a few squirts through the motor holes in the brush area to the slave motors.  It works every time and will bring a lazy (they seem that way) motor up to speed with the motors in the other unit.  Many a slave board has been replaced and this is what was needed.  No residue.  Give it a try and you will be very happy.  Please stay clear of any flammable liquids or spray.

Naptha (lighter fluid) is a very good cleaner/degreaser that does not harm plastic or paint and does not leave any residue. It is used for all cleaning and degreasing of the entire motor and locomotive. It will also clean and degrease track, switches, etc.

Larry

CAUTION: Some organic solvents, including alcohol, can dissolve the insulation coatings on armature and field windings - often shellac in the old days. 

The post war armatures are built with a felt pad between the commutator and the windings. Liquid cleaners tend to carry carbon loaded cleaning solution into this pad where the liquid evaporates leaving the conductive carbon in the felt pad.  A better method might be to clean the armature with a dry, soft, clean rag.  If the commutator is still oily, spray the cleaner on the rag and wipe it clean.  I then use a flat block of steel with a 1/8" hole in it with a piece of 400 grit garnet paper with a 1/8" hole in it to sand the commutator clean, smooth and flat.  I put the upper armature shaft through the hole in the garnet paper and then into the hole in the steel block.  Than rotate the armature which sands the commutator.  This method keeps the sanding marks concentric with the brush track.  After the sanding operation wipe the armature clean again with a dry rag and blow it off with low pressure air.  The commutator slots are cleaned with tooth picks prior to sanding.  If the felt pad looks to be so oil and carbon saturated that cleaning is hopeless, I remove the commutator and install a new felt pad.

quote:

CAUTION: Some organic solvents, including alcohol, can dissolve the insulation coatings on armature and field windings - often shellac in the old days.  

I ruined a couple of armatures with alcohol before I figured that out.

I use mineral spirits because it works, and does not create too much in the way of fumes. I moisten a small spot on a rag, or a Qtip, so only a very small amount is used. Once in a while I will use something stronger, or some sort of spray.

I like to minimize my breathing of solvents and other spray stuff.

Solvent fumes from parts cleaning....another project where having a paint booth makes sense.

Whenever I do these sorts of things, I am generally driven to make them perfect!  But I wonder what is really good enough.  I love the idea of producing a mirror finish, but does the sanding and polishing make much of a difference In performance?  There is a part of my brain that worries about tiny metal dust getting caught in the mix too.

CRC also makes a contact cleaner (#02130) . It is safe for plastic but it is flammable. I use all the time.

Unless the commutator has grooves in it, there is no need to polish or sand it with anything more than a pencil eraser after cleaning it.

Larry